


Iron Man's #1 Fan

by rebelmeg



Series: Rebelmeg's Tony Stark Bingo Fills 2019 [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Iron Man 2, Kid Peter Parker, Peter in IM2, Precious Peter Parker, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark is Good With Kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 16:43:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19908913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg
Summary: Peter Parker has been an Iron Man fan from the very beginning.





	Iron Man's #1 Fan

**Author's Note:**

> Another fill for TSB! Square K5 - comic image of Iron Man flying over a woman and child
> 
> The fabulous Judy_the_Dreamer was my beta!

Peter Parker was nine years old when a breaking news story interrupted the cartoon he was watching as he ate a snack after school. Five minutes later, his mom came into the room to ask him if he’d started doing his homework, only to find him staring absolutely goggle-eyed at the screen, his mouth hanging open.

Tony Stark, a name Peter was already familiar with due to his love of science, had just outed himself as Iron Man and it was the coolest thing Peter had ever seen.

He spent the next six months in a state of near-constant rapture and awe. Every news story about Iron Man, print or television, was guaranteed to stop him in his tracks. The Stark Expo was announced in December, marketed as Tony Stark’s gift to the world (Mom had snorted at that, though Peter didn’t understand why), and it had only taken a couple weeks of pleading to convince his parents to take him to the opening in May. He was a ball of excited energy for nearly the entire time, waiting anxiously and marking the squares off on the calendar, until finally, _finally_ , the day arrived.

Dad had to work, but Mom had told Peter that they could spend the whole day at the Expo if he wanted to (he did). He had the _time of his life_. 

There were so many displays and booths, so many things to see, and when he’d stopped at one of the gift shops and stared longingly at the display of plastic Iron Man helmets for sale… His heart had nearly leapt out of his chest when Mom smiled indulgently and bought one for him.

By the time it got dark, Peter was so happy he could burst. He was wearing his Iron Man helmet, and his Stark Expo t-shirt, and he had a whole bag of different stuff from the booths he’d seen. Some of them were even handing out toys and other cool things, rubber bracelets and postcards with pictures of science stuff, bouncy balls, hats, even a little foam dart gun that had made Mom frown. 

The best part hadn’t happened yet, though. The best part was when Mr. Stark would get there, and Peter and Mom were standing right next to the stage when Iron Man came plummeting down out of the sky.

Peter watched, enthralled, as a big rotating mechanism with all kinds of moving parts dismantled the Iron Man suit from around Mr. Stark, and he yelled and cheered when Mr. Stark waved at them all. That was his hero, _right there_ , almost close enough to touch!

After Mr. Stark finished talking (Peter didn’t understand some of it, but that was okay), Peter tugged on Mom’s hand. “We have to go to the stage door! He might come out!”

Mom looked like she was going to say no, but after studying his face for a minute, she finally agreed. “Alright. If that’s what you want to do.”

The line was already so long by the time they fought their way through the crowd, as if everyone had the same idea Peter did.

“I don’t know, honey.” Mom ran her hand over Peter’s hair as she looked around at all the people. “We might have to wait a really long time, and he might not even come out here.”

Peter didn’t care. He felt like he could wait the whole night long if he got to meet Iron Man. Of course, Mr. Stark wouldn’t be wearing his armor, but he was still Iron Man. And Peter had been waiting _forever_ to meet him. Well… six months counted as forever when you were only nine, right?

“You sure you want to wait?” Mom asked him again, glancing back down.

Peter nodded and looked at her through the slits in the Iron Man helmet he’d been wearing all day. “Yeah.”

“Okay.”

One of the workers that was keeping the crowd back spotted Peter a minute later, and she grinned at him. “Are you here to meet Iron Man?”

He nodded excitedly, bouncing on his feet. "Yes, I am!"

“You can come up here if you want. He’ll be out in just a few minutes.”

Glancing anxiously up at Mom, Peter gave a squeal of delight when she nodded. He took the marker from her and held on to his picture of Iron Man, following the worker to where a couple other kids were waiting together in front of the crowd.

Peter watched anxiously, listening to the crowd buzz with excitement, and when the shouting and cheers started up a minute later, he knew Mr. Stark was finally coming.

His whole body seemed to jolt with excitement when he finally saw his hero, smiling at the crowd, waving, shaking hands, and the two girls standing with Peter started jumping up and down in excitement.

Mr. Stark got closer, close enough that Peter could hear him talking, and then the big man in the suit that was staying really close to him pointed at the kids. "We've got some kids over here, sir."

Mr. Stark’s smile got even wider when he saw them, and he came right over.

“Hello, dear heart.”

Peter felt like he might float off the ground, he was so excited. He and the two girls with him held up their glossy pictures of Iron Man for Mr. Stark to sign.

“Okay, these are some excellent pictures, you all clearly have the best taste.” Mr. Stark took and signed each of the pictures. “You having fun?”

Peter nodded enthusiastically, peering up at him through the eye holes in the mask. 

Mr. Stark grinned and winked at him. “I like the helmet. You gonna be a hero when you grow up?”

Peter nodded again, so hard that the helmet wobbled on his head. Well, he was now.

“Alright, here we go,” Mr. Stark scribbled his autograph on the photograph and handed it back to Peter, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Keep having fun, kiddos.” He patted the top of the helmet as Peter laughed with elation. “See ya, buddy.”

Breathing fast and feeling like he might explode, Peter clutched the picture to his chest as Mr. Stark vanished into the crowd. 

“Peter!”

He spun around and flung himself into Mom’s arms. “Mom! I met him! I met Mr. Stark! He called me buddy!”

“I know, I saw! And he signed your picture! Oh, Peter, I’m so excited for you! Are you happy?”

Peter sighed as Mom hugged him, still looking at the picture over her shoulder, the scribble that was Mr. Stark’s name. “So happy, Mom.”

* * *

Peter had worn his Stark Expo t-shirt and Iron Man mask every single day since the opening night. He knew it was driving Mom crazy, as she kept suggesting other shirts and sighing every time Peter put the Expo shirt back on, but then she’d just smile a little and shake her head.

At least once a week, he convinced Mom or Dad to take him back to the Expo and he always found something new to see or do, even as he went around to his favorite pavilions and displays every time. He could have stayed at the Expo around the clock all month long and still wanted to stay longer. The biggest event tonight was by Justin Hammer, whoever that was, but Peter wasn’t really interested. At least, not until he saw Iron Man go flying in.

After that, things went crazy. The bad robots that were clunky and weird and not at all like Iron Man were scaring everyone, chasing them away and using big guns.

It didn’t scare Peter, though. It made him _mad_.

He could see Iron Man sometimes, flying through the air in and around all the buildings and displays with a whole bunch of the other robots behind him. There were so many of them and Mr. Stark was being so brave.

Mom and Dad had gotten lost in the crowd, and Peter knew they were probably worried about him. But as one of the big robots that was scanning the crowd suddenly walked towards him, Peter stood his ground, and slowly raised his hand with the repulsor glove on it. That's what heroes did.

A metallic thud next to him shook the ground, and Peter looked up just in time to see Iron Man standing beside him, shooting his own repulsor at the big robot.

Peter jumped back as the robot was obliterated and grinned like crazy as Mr. Stark looked at him and said “Nice work, kid,” just before taking off again.

Peter watched him go, feeling as tall as a building, and when he heard Mom yelling for him a minute later, looking so scared, he hugged her back hard.

“It’s okay, Mom. Iron Man is gonna save us, and I’m gonna be a hero when I grow up!”

* * *

Peter was looking out the window of the hospital in Manhattan that Aunt May worked at as the aliens started coming out of the big hole in the sky right over Stark Tower, his mouth hanging open. 

It was like Star Wars or something, and scary in a way the big robot battle at the Stark Expo last year hadn’t been.

A few minutes later, everyone was panicking, but Aunt May found him quickly. She crouched down and put her hands on his shoulders, looking him right in the eye. “Peter, I need you to listen to me. I called Ben, and he’s gonna come get you. There’s a lot of people who are hurt, so I’m gonna stay here and help. Can I trust you to wait in the lobby?”

Peter knew exactly how serious this was and he nodded.

“That’s my good kid.” May kissed his forehead. “Go straight there and wait for Uncle Ben, okay? I’ll see you guys later. _Be safe_.”

“I will.” Peter waved as Aunt May ran off, then did as she asked and went to the lobby. There were so many people, filling the large space with their bodies and voices and it made Peter kind of scared, to see so many people afraid like this.

He made himself small and pressed himself to the glass wall next to the big sliding doors so he could see outside, watching for Uncle Ben and seeing everything that was happening on the street. Those aliens were everywhere, even flying down the street sometimes, and Peter put his hands over his ears so he couldn't hear all the terrified screams.

It seemed to take a long time and the lobby of the hospital only got more crowded, but Peter stayed right where he was. And eventually, he saw Uncle Ben running down the street. Peter had never seen him looking so scared, and he started waving hard at his uncle as soon as he saw him.

“Uncle Ben! In here!”

Ben's whole face changed when he saw Peter waving, and he even staggered a little bit as he stopped and put his hands on the glass separating them. 

“Stay there!” He shouted, and Peter nodded, watching Uncle Ben fight his way inside and towards him.

“Peter! I’m so glad you’re okay!” 

Peter was swept right up into those big arms and he hugged Uncle Ben tight. “I’m okay, Aunt May told me to wait for you and I stayed right here.”

“You’re a good kid, buddy. Let’s get you out of here.” Ben was looking over the heads of the crowd and he lifted Peter up even higher. “You don’t see May, do you?”

Peter looked around carefully, but shook his head. “No. She’s probably still upstairs, she was helping the people that got off the elevator.”

Ben looked towards the elevator, and seemed as if he was trying to make up his mind. “We shouldn’t. She’s got work to do. We can wait.”

“May lets me stay in the break room sometimes. Maybe we can wait there?” Peter knew that Uncle Ben was worried about Aunt May and wanted to check on her.

Ben smiled a little and ruffled Peter’s hair. “Nah, it’s okay. Let’s get out of here, so the people that need help can get in.”

Outside was just as bad as inside. There were people running and screaming, and so many more aliens were flying around, and the street was a mess. Ben held on tight to Peter’s hand as they headed down the street away from the hole in the sky, walking as fast as Peter could manage.

A familiar kind of sound drew Peter’s head around, and he shouted excitedly as he yanked on Uncle Ben’s hand. With a big smile, he pointed as Iron Man flew right over their heads. “Uncle Ben, look! Iron Man! It’s gonna be okay now!”

“I sure hope so, buddy. I really hope so.”

Peter wasn’t worried. Iron Man was there. He knew it was all gonna be okay.


End file.
